


Halloween Special

by centauri2002



Category: Mai-HiME
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Enemies, F/F, Opposites Attract, Sexual Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-10-31
Updated: 2009-04-30
Packaged: 2017-11-07 07:51:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 21,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/428667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/centauri2002/pseuds/centauri2002
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in a dark city world, Natsuki an experienced werewolf, is unwillingly drawn into the hunt for a vampire elder who is unlike any vampire she has ever come across before. Inspired by elements of Underworld.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Tooth and Nail

**Author's Note:**

> This was written as a Halloween fic back in 2007. Inspirations were drawn from Underworld and a commercial on television that I'd seen. I believe it was a mobile phone advert. I've always enjoyed the trope of enemies being attracted to one another so this has got to be one of my favourite fanfics to write. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. :)

Heart wrenching, blood curdling, overwhelming pain. That was the memory of her first transformation. It had seemed so long ago. Through the mists of time she had trudged, attempting to make her way in a world that despised her, a world that hunted her, a world that could never understand her. So many misconceptions. She was nowhere near the primitive animal that she was portrayed to be, nor did she have the pack mentality that was expected of her. She was, as the saying went, a lone wolf.

As such, she would often find herself alone and fending for herself. Of course, that was the way she liked it. Life had a way of throwing irony at her though. Even though she shunned the pack life, she was considered of high standing within it. Her pack's Alpha would put up with her behaviour because she was respected amongst the others. Her werewolf brothers and sisters held her with such high esteem simply because she was a killer. To be precise - a vampire killer. At least, that's how she saw it.

Natsuki stretched out in her den, her slim, muscled form sprawled across a mattress that lay against the hardwood floor. A musty scent hung in the air from the dirty clothing and old food that was littered around the cabin. The odour irritated her sensitive nose, but she tolerated it. It was familiar after all. If there was one thing she hated, it was change. Which was rather ironic, considering how she changed from human to beast quite often. But that was a familiar change and one she didn't mind.

During nights such as this one, she'd spend far too much time thinking. Her mind would run itself in circles as she pondered her existence, from the strange to the mundane. As she shifted her weight on the aging mattress, she let her thoughts drift to the cause of most of her problems: Vampires. If it weren't for these creatures she wouldn't have to stick around and protect her pack. She'd be able to live a free life and do as she wished if there wasn't a war. And the war was vicious.

She blamed her strong sense of protectiveness on her werewolf side, and her strong sense of duty on her human blood. They were the only reasons she stayed. She had no other ties. There was no one she cared for above being a passing acquaintance. Even her den, where she spent the most time, could easily be replaced somewhere else. Though she'd begrudge the change for a while.

She let out a small huff, remembering that she was required to attend a hunt tonight. Fuuka's Alpha wanted her to lead it but she had refused, eventually relenting to at least go along. She did enjoy the hunt, the adrenaline pumping through her body, the tensing of muscle as she poised, ready to strike. She'd heard very little on their reason for gathering tonight though, and she had to admit, it had piqued her interest. If only mildly.

Pulling herself into a standing position in one swift motion, she brushed down her faded jeans and white tank top. Old clothes, but practical and comfortable. She pushed her feet into a pair of heavy, black boots and stalked to the door, resisting the habit to grab her motorcycle helmet. She wouldn't be riding tonight.

She moved out into the night air, a slight breeze brushing against her sensitive skin, bringing with it a plethora of scents that told her many things. Her small wooden cabin sat alone amongst Fuuka forest, far from any intrusive civilisation. Just the way she liked it. She had built it herself, taking great care when picking the location. Apart from the isolation, this forest provided adequate hunting grounds for her and she could easily slip outside and satisfy the urge whenever it arose.

Natsuki quickly made her way through the trees, leaving her den behind and following the shortest route to her destination. Luckily for her, the meeting place for tonight's hunt was not too far. She knew every inch of this forest, every fallen tree, every clearing, every stream. She sniffed at the air, satisfied when nothing smelt out of place. Everything was as it should be. As fallen twigs crunched beneath her booted feet, she briefly considered shifting so she could cover ground faster but she shook that idea from her mind. She usually only allowed herself that when it was absolutely necessary. Sometimes she'd shift so she could prowl in the forest but that was to satisfy the overwhelming need to hunt. She didn't use her abilities frivolously.

Before long, she'd passed through the majority of the forest and she could pick up familiar scents. Her pack was near. Soon, sounds joined the smells and she honed in on their location, their forms coming into sight quickly. She lingered on the edge of the clearing, watching the small group of her kin. If any of them had picked up her presence, they didn't show any outward signs of doing so. It seemed the usual members of the pack had turned up. She quickly glanced over each of them: Masashi Takeda, Haruka Suzushiro, Yukino Kikukawa, Nao Yuuki and a few faces she didn't see that often. She couldn't place their names. She smirked as she watched Nao shuffle restlessly. She was new to the pack and had yet to adjust fully to her lycanthropy.

She moved from her position between the foliage and emerged into the clearing, immediately drawing Haruka and Takeda's attention. The others followed their gazes. Haruka was openly disapproving of Natsuki's opinions of the pack and she now regarded her with a sneer. Yukino, who had been dubbed "little puppy" by members of the pack who liked to mock the way she followed Haruka around, just looked timidly at the newcomer from her spot behind Haruka. Takeda grinned at her and she avoided his gaze, taking a wide berth around him. Whenever she had contact with the pack, he would be there, and that annoyed her endlessly.

"It's about time you showed up, Kuga." Haruka grunted and her eyes narrowed as she flicked her thick blonde mane over her shoulder. Natsuki shrugged at her, not wanting to rise to the bait. Once Haruka got started, it was as if she was a hurricane and nothing could prevent the destruction she wrought.

"Decided to come out of hiding and play, huh?" Nao interjected, a smirk pulling at her lips. Natsuki felt her jaw clench at the comment. She'd only been here for a few seconds and she was already agitated.

"That's enough, Nao. You should learn to respect your elders," came Takeda's firm voice. Natsuki glanced at him, surprised at his commanding tone. From the way Nao had nodded awkwardly at him it seemed as though he was leading the hunt tonight. Still, she didn't like him being defensive over her. Sometimes he came off as a lovesick puppy around her and that just made her skin crawl. On several occasions he had, somewhat nervously, asked her to become his mate to which she had tried to suppress a bout of laughter. Her and him? No way.

While it was often true that werewolves chose only one mate throughout their immortal lives, she was certain she wasn't going to be tied down to anyone. She'd rather be alone if that were the case. Especially if Takeda was the only option she was offered. She shuddered slightly at the thought as he looked at her with a soft smile.

"So what's the plan?" she asked quickly, wanting to get moving, her senses itching for the chase.

Takeda's smile dropped a little at her curt tone and he turned to face the entire group. "Alpha has chosen us for an important hunt tonight, one that may be the turning point in our eternal war." He began and although his choice of words was overly dramatic, it got Natsuki's attention. "We have received information that the elder of an out-of-town cadre will be arriving in Fuuka tonight via the subway."

"Which cadre?" Haruka asked abruptly, drawing Takeda's attention.

"Does it matter? They're all the same." Nao cut in snidely.

Haruka glared at the redhead, her lips pulled back slightly to reveal white teeth. "Of course it matters, whelp!"

"Please." Takeda stepped in between the pair, his voice calm. "I will answer all question before we leave. Suzushiro, in answer to your question, it is the Kyoto cadre if what we were told is correct."

At the new information, Haruka visibly paled and just as quickly reddened. Natsuki thought she might faint from the sudden change but instead she let out a bellow. "What! They... they..." She stopped stammering once Yukino laid a hand on her arm and she glanced down at the smaller girl who gave her a reassuring smile.

"I think what Haruka is trying to say is she's had run-ins with these Kyoto vampires before and they can be particularly troublesome." The brunette glanced up at Haruka to ensure what she said was all right with her. Natsuki thought they had a rather strange relationship and she wasn't entirely sure who was the more dominant of the pair. Haruka was more openly aggressive but Yukino appeared to be the calming influence. She inwardly shrugged; it didn't matter much to her either way.

"Since when were you in Kyoto?" Nao asked, her mocking tones having decreased somewhat.

"I have had to carry out several missions there I'll have you know. Before your time of course," Haruka explained, her eyes narrowing as she spoke.

"Can we focus on the current mission, please?" Takeda asked before the pair of them could get started arguing again. When no one offered up any complaints, he continued. "As you're all aware, the Fuuka cadre have been a constant thorn in our sides and if they are able to strike up a partnership with the Kyoto cadre then it may prove disastrous for us. We cannot allow that to happen."

"So how are they getting here exactly, and what kind of numbers we looking at?" Natsuki asked, deciding to get down to the real facts before they were diverted again.

Takeda looked at her and smiled that annoying smile of his again. "As I said, they will be arriving by subway but they have acquired their own personal transportation so we won't have to worry about other passengers. In their arrogance they haven't provided much protection though. If our information is correct, there should be the elder and perhaps five bodyguards. That's easy enough for us to handle, don't you think?"

Natsuki grunted in response. The protection shouldn't be a problem but she thought he was underestimating the elder. They didn't gain that position by being weak and if they were anything like the Fuuka elder then they were cunning as well. This Kyoto elder could prove a handful. She certainly looked forward to the challenge though.

"Follow me to the van, we'll get equipped there and then head to the subway," Takeda shot over his shoulder as he headed out of the clearing. Everyone fell into step behind him, wanting to get on with the hunt as soon as possible. Natsuki had had enough of talking and she was eager to see what they were up against. The journey to the nearby road didn't take long and soon they arrived at their destination.

The vehicle was large enough to accommodate some of them plus their weapons. Those that wouldn't be riding in the van would take the car that was parked behind it. The van itself was black, nondescript and reinforced. It was specifically designed for transporting them to and from their hunts so it could take quite a beating and had had ample opportunity to prove that in the past.

Takeda unlocked the rear of the van and pulled the two doors open, revealing a compact setup within the vehicle. There was seating inside, enough to accommodate four or five people. At the deepest part of the van was a tall rack that contained an assortment of weapons and Natsuki peered at it with great interest. She wondered if her pistols would be there as she'd allowed them to be taken for modification and had yet to have them returned.

Recently, technology had been made available to the pack concerning UV ammunition. It was a special kind, developed by Searrs, that could eliminate any vampire almost instantly, effectively filling their body with sunlight. She'd never used the bullets before and had always relied on normal weaponry but she knew this elder wouldn't be easy to take down and now was as good a time as any to experiment.

The hunt leader pulled himself into the van and ducked to avoid hitting his head, making his way to the rack Natsuki was so interested in. He reached to the top of the rack and pulled down a rifle. Natsuki paid little heed to it as she knew it couldn't possibly be her weapon. She did notice it had a scope attached though and guessed it was a Remington. She was surprised when Haruka took the offered weapon. She wouldn't have thought the blonde had the patience for precision aiming.

In the next few moments, Takeda had handed out pistols to the remaining pack members, saving Natsuki's modified Glocks until last. She gladly took them, revelling in the familiar weight. The pack's armourer had tried to persuade her to take a pair of Berringers instead of her beloved firearms but she'd refused, insisting he modify the Glocks instead. The new Ultra Violet ammunition had been designed for the Berringers her kin now carried but as she looked at her own guns now, she saw it hadn't taken much to make the Glocks ready for use with the new bullets. She looked forward to trying them out.

Takeda thrust something else in her direction and she grabbed the black shoulder holsters from his outstretched hand. She placed her pistols aside and slipped the holsters on before easing her weapons into place. She always found this type of holster to be awkward but it was the best way of carrying and concealing her firearms. She looked up at the hunt leader once she was done and watched as he lifted the last item from the rack. It was a sheathed katana, the scabbard a dark brown that matched the cloth wrapped around the hilt. Takeda gripped the sword and sat down in one of the seats, nodding to the others to follow suit.

Natsuki climbed into the van, taking the seat farthest away from Takeda whilst her fellow pack members organised themselves. Haruka, Yukino and two of the werewolves she didn't recognise headed away from the van and slipped into the car instead, the rest taking up position with Takeda and Natsuki. Soon, they were ready to be underway and she was glad when they started their journey. She wasn't known for her patience, especially when it came to the hunt.

Being jiggled from side to side wasn't Natsuki's idea of fun, she decided. No matter how many times she made this trip, she'd always be in a foul mood by the end of it. That van had a way of annoying her immensely. Perhaps it was its restrictive nature that got to her, maybe she didn't like feeling like a caged animal. Or perhaps it was merely the fact that is bounced around so damn much. Natsuki frowned, unable to pinpoint the exact reason; it was more than likely a mixture anyway.

She was drawn out of her brooding by movement from within the vehicle and she lifted her head to watch Takeda crouch and move to the rear, quickly pushing the doors open so he could hop outside. The other pack members within the confined space shifted impatiently, waiting for the word to do the same. Natsuki pushed herself off the seat and hastily exited the van, not waiting for Takeda to get around to giving the order. She didn't feel as though she needed to be ordered in and out of a vehicle anyway. The notion was absurd, although the pack liked to stick to such rules.

She noticed Takeda giving her a sidelong glance and she merely shrugged at him, having no intention of explaining herself. It was bad enough she felt awkward in small areas; it was an entirely different matter to have to talk about it. She adjusted her holsters again, shifting the weight to make them more comfortable while the other pack members filed out of the van. She found herself scanning the area, her instincts kicking in and her body preparing itself for the hunt.

They'd parked a few blocks away from the subway so even if the vampires had arrived, it was unlikely they'd be spotted at this distance. Looking at her watch, Natsuki confirmed that the train wasn't due to arrive for another fifteen minutes. They'd have to hurry if they wanted to set up a competent ambush. She briefly looked up at the sky, noting that it was fairly clear and the moon shone brightly down at her. She knew that would provide them with decent visibility at least, although it might also mean they'd be spotted more easily.

With the pack gathered and seemingly ready to leave, Takeda muttered a few warnings and orders and they were soon moving. Natsuki led the group, her senses on full alert. There was very little breeze, which pleased the werewolf; she'd be able to pick up scents with a higher degree of accuracy that way.

When they had moved a few blocks nearer, Natsuki halted, pushing herself up against the wall of a tall building, motioning for the others to do the same. Something had caught her attention and she sniffed at the air, picking up a repulsive and all-too-familiar scent immediately. Vampires. Her eyes narrowed as she scanned the streets, her top lip pulling back over her teeth in a subconscious gesture of disgust. She could tell that there was more than one vampire and that they were situated east of them, but nothing more than that. They'd have to close in on their position to learn more.

She glanced back at the others, noting that Takeda had picked up on the scent too and was giving her a wary look. Perhaps he wasn't the fool Natsuki thought him to be if he could use caution at a time like this. She decided to wait and test that theory though, finding it hard to believe he could be nothing more than a bumbling idiot. The urge to take over and issue commands was niggling at her now and she had to consciously keep her mouth shut to stop from usurping leadership. She wasn't sure if that was what her Alpha had intended by persuading her to tag along on this hunt or not.

"It seems they arrived earlier than expected," Takeda muttered to the rest of the group, glancing back at Natsuki with a little uncertainty. She gave him a mildly annoyed look. A leader should always be sure of themselves; it instils confidence in those under their command.

"If you were wrong about that, then I just can't wait for the other screw-ups that await us," Nao sneered, crossing her arms across her chest. Haruka shot her a glare but surprisingly said nothing, but Natsuki thought that might have been from the calming influence of Yukino's hand on her elbow.

Takeda let out a short sigh. "It's a minor detail. We'll head in quietly and assess the situation, hopefully not drawing any attention."

Her jaw clenching at his decision, Natsuki couldn't keep quiet any longer. "Takeda shut it. You want to get us all killed?" he looked back at her in shock at her words but she didn't give him time to form a response. "This is what we're going to do: Two of you will circle around to the far side of the subway while the rest of us sneak closer to assess the situation. We don't get too close and we stay low. I'll lead the way, the rest of you stay well behind. Once I give the signal I want Haruka and Yukino to double back and find a good position to pick a few of them off, if any are visible. Got that?" she said quickly, motioning to two young werewolves as she spoke, noting she really must learn their names at some point.

Takeda stood there staring dumbly at her, his jaw hanging open slightly whilst the nameless werewolves blinked at her with poorly hidden admiration. She wanted to roll her eyes at both reactions. She saw, with yet more surprise, that Haruka hadn't launched into a tirade about breaking rules and disrespecting the chain of command. In actual fact, she was merely shaking her head slightly, a frown tugging at her lips but a glimmer of respect in her eyes. Yukino's eyes reflected the same emotion. Natsuki glanced at Nao who was staring at her nails in mild interest.

When she saw no movement had occurred, she motioned with an arm to the pair of werewolves she had singled out previously. "Well? Get moving!"

The two pack members jumped slightly at her shout and quickly scurried away in the opposite direction. Natsuki let out a short grunt at their lack of stealth. She just hoped the vampires didn't hear them coming. Turning on her heel, she marched to the end of the street and peered around the corner of the building, noting no movement. It was as if the citizens of this town had sensed the impending battle and had decided to stay out of harm's way tonight. She was glad of that though, it meant things wouldn't get unnecessarily messy.

From her position behind the building, she could just make out the entrance to the subway at the far end of the street. She couldn't make out any detail to it and knew she had to get closer to be sure of her suspicions. Taking note of the parked cars, she decided that she could probably make it halfway up the street without being spotted. She just hoped the rest of her pack could do the same. She peered over her shoulder and signalled for the others to stay at their current distance before slipping around the corner of the building and moving up the street to the first vehicle.

As she moved from car to car, she could make out more and more of the subway entrance. It was a fairly large entrance, with a metal beam stretching over it holding up a sign that swung slightly even without much of a breeze. She found that a little ominous but pushed the thought from her mind. When she reached the halfway point, she halted and crouched behind a small car, peering through both windows to examine the subway entrance. She could just make out the slightest movement and she honed in on two figures seemingly standing guard.

She had been right. She sniffed at the air once more and confirmed her theory. They were definitely vampires, though something seemed off about the entire situation. Her instincts were telling her they weren't the only ones in the area. Perhaps more were further inside the subway, down the steps, or perhaps they were located in nearby buildings. She didn't like it either way, things could get complicated if she didn't have all the facts.

She raised a hand and motioned behind her, dropping down further against the cold tarmac of the street, leaning her shoulder against the contrasting metal of the car. Soon, she saw Haruka and Yukino moving behind a building and she was sure she could at least rely on them doing their side of things competently. Within moments, the rest of the pack joined her at her position and she couldn't help but continuously glance at the subway to see if they'd been spotted.

"There's two at the entrance, Haruka should take them out but I know there's more around here somewhere. I'm just not sure where," she explained, noting the expectant look on Takeda's face.

"So what's the plan now, Miss. Leader?" Nao said snidely, her voice dripping with contempt.

Natsuki watched as Takeda leaned over and grabbed Nao roughly by the arm, her face contorting into annoyance at the gesture. "Why must you always-?"

"Enough!" Natsuki interjected quickly, before any fighting could start. "This is neither the time nor the place. Or do you want to give our position away?" she hissed between clenched teeth.

Both Takeda and Nao looked back at her and eventually shook their heads, if somewhat reluctantly. Natsuki turned once more and peeked through the windows at the subway again, wondering when Haruka would make the first shot. They'd have to move simultaneously to be effective. They could certainly use the element of surprise here, especially since there was an elder in play.

Watching the pair of vampires closely, she shifted so she was positioned at the corner of the vehicle, ready to dart forwards at any moment. She occasionally scanned the buildings nearby, hoping to catch sight of the other vampires or Haruka and Yukino but had no luck with either task. She was beginning to get impatient, even though they had left only a short time previously. Her body was aching for a good fight.

Movement at the far end of the street caught her attention once more and she narrowed her eyes, focusing upon it. She could just make out the small forms of her werewolf kin, the ones she'd sent to circle around. They were crouched behind a vehicle much as she was, yet more visibly so. She groaned inwardly at their lack of experience and common sense. Why did she have to be stuck with the incompetent ones? She knew they'd be spotted soon but she couldn't give the order to attack yet, not without Haruka's shot.

Just as she thought she might have to forget her plan, a shot rang out and echoed down the street, one of the vampires dropping to the ground instantly. Without much thought, she launched herself into a run and covered the distance between her and the subway in very little time. Her eyes were focused on the remaining vampire as she looked from side to side in panic. Had they not expected an attack? Or was he just inexperienced? She couldn't reach him before the two werewolves on the opposite side of the subway had leapt upon him, tearing at him.

Before she had time to celebrate the success of her plan, Natsuki noticed two more vampires emerge from a nearby building, pistols raised. She ducked behind the wall surrounding the subway entrance, looking back to see the other pack members closing in on her location. They couldn't afford to lose this advantage and it was certain more reinforcements would come at the sound of gunfire.

"You two," she pointed at the pair of werewolves nearby. "You stay and take care of them, use Haruka and Yukino as back up. The rest come with me," she barked out the orders quickly before diving over the side of the wall, landing on the stairs below.

The grey tiled stairs led down into gloominess and they went on for some time, a black metal gate barring the way about halfway down. Yet, it had been roughly shoved aside and had come away from the wall slightly. She guessed the subway had been locked up after hours and the vampires had to force their way outside. The walls were also tiled and the blue-coloured ones near the floor had faded to such a degree that it was hard to tell them apart from the grey tiles above and below them.

She stepped carefully forwards, her eyes constantly shifting to try and catch the slightest hint of danger. The only sounds she could pick up were those from above and she knew Takeda, Nao and two other werewolves had joined her on the steps. Sniffing at the air, she could pick up an oily odour mingled with the stench of death. She surmised that those represented the train and the vampires but she couldn't tell if it had come from those above or if any remained below.  _Only one way to find out,_ she decided.

Natsuki slipped past the metal gate and farther into the darkness below, her eyes adjusting to the light difference quickly. She could just make out where the room below opened up to hold the platforms and she saw the lower parts of several large pillars. Why did everything need to be tiled? The obvious reason was that they would be easy to clean but they looked so damn ugly. At least, Natsuki thought so.

She pressed herself against the wall of the stairwell and tried to peek around the corner to see if the train was there. From what she could see, there was some form of train sitting stationary at one platform but she had no idea if it was the right one. It didn't help that it was completely dark inside either. Edging closer to the train, she placed one foot into the expansive platform area.

Instinctively, she ducked backwards and something collided with the wall beside her head. Her head snapped to the left and she saw the face of a snarling vampire, his fangs showing clearly. He had rammed his fist into the wall, cracking the tiles and if Natsuki hadn't responded as quickly as she had, that would have been her head. Reacting quickly, she grabbed the vampire by the front of his jacket and threw him across the room, his body smashing into the train doors, the metal creaking noisily under the punishment.

The vampire tumbled to the ground and it was only then that Natsuki noticed the other three vampires on the platform. Her kin had surged into action now and Nao and Takeda each took an opponent, whilst the remaining two werewolves doubled up against the remainder. Natsuki stepped into the centre of the platform, facing the vampire she had just thrown against the train.

He picked himself up and brushed off his legs, glowering at her with hatred. He lunged forwards and Natsuki had planned out her moves before he had even reached her. He was an inexperienced fighter, that much was certain, and he was letting his emotions cloud his judgement. As he ploughed into her, she caught him in the jaw with her elbow, effectively snapping his head around to the right and dazing him. He tumbled backwards and she reached out, stopping his fall and jerking him back towards her. She spun him around easily and caught his head between her hands, quickly jerking it in one direction and hearing the cracking sound of his neck breaking. His body went limp and she shifted her hold on him.

Natsuki gripped the lifeless vampire and lifted his body, willing to use it as a shield if necessary. Her eyes darted around the subway, debris littering the tiled flooring. Dust filled the air but she could make out Nao and Takeda fighting off to one side whilst a few other members of her pack dealt with a single vampire who, she was sure, wouldn't last much longer. The hairs on the back of her neck bristled and she instinctively looked to the doors of the train car, her senses on high alert. Her emerald eyes narrowed as the dust cleared a little and a silhouette appeared in between the damaged doors.

Her heart thudded heavily in her chest as adrenaline surged through her veins, the mere presence of this newcomer making her feel uneasy. The figure stepped out into the subway a little too casually for Natsuki's liking and she could now get a better look at whoever it was.

Long chestnut tresses fell down around the calm features of a youthful appearing woman. A calf-length black leather coat framed her lithe body and complemented the matching leather corset, tight trousers and boots. Her entire ensemble seemed designed to hug every curve and Natsuki could see the power in every graceful step. Her eyes were what truly drew Natsuki's attention though. Piercing crimson jewels glinted in the low light of the subway and they looked straight at her. The woman was smiling serenely at her and she found herself holding in a breath as her eyes trailed down that body once more.

Natsuki released her hold on her previous quarry and straightened, turning to face the newcomer. It wasn't until one of her pack snarled off to her right that she realised the leather-clad woman had a hand hidden behind her back. Her eyes picked up movement and she watched with a sense of dread as one of her kin charged forwards towards the other woman, completely weaponless.  _Idiot,_ she found herself thinking. She could only look on as the chestnut-haired woman brought her hand out from behind her back and revealed a large blade. It was the colour of blood, much like her eyes, and was rather wide for a sword - perhaps more like a cleaver. The blade itself curved down past the woman's hand, acting as its own guard, and it looked as if something could be screwed into the bottom end of it.

Before she could ponder that, the woman struck with alarming speed at her attacker, cutting down diagonally across the male werewolf, and he let out a howl of pain. He fell backwards, blood trailing through the air, and Natsuki shuddered when she saw that the woman's expression hadn't changed at all during the process of her strike. The newcomer moved her sword arm to her side and returned her gaze to Natsuki, their eyes meeting instantly. Natsuki stepped forwards slowly and very deliberately, her senses keeping alert for any sudden movements. If this woman could kill her kin in one strike she couldn't afford to underestimate her.

"I suppose you're here to kill me as well?" The woman spoke with a melodious yet unusual accent, her tone even and calm.

Natsuki's gaze didn't waver as she replied. "If you're the Kyoto elder, then yes."

One corner of the woman's mouth quirked upwards at her reply. "Then it would be in my best interest to deny that, no?"

Natsuki slowly took her guns from their holsters and gripped them tightly, not raising them yet. "No grunt has that kind of skill," she stated simply, becoming slightly irritated when her target's smile widened.

"I am flattered that you think me skilful." Natsuki's brow furrowed at that comment. What sort of game was she trying to play with her? Surely, she didn't think she'd be able to escape her death by this means? Then, the other woman raised her free hand to her chest. "Well, if I can't convince you otherwise, allow me to introduce myself... I am Shizuru Fujino, elder of the Kyoto cadre. If you'll allow it, may I know who my potential assassin is?"

There was something about the way she said that that irked her. "Natsuki Kuga," she growled, not quite sure why she had actually given her name.

One of the elder's eyebrows arched slightly. "Oh? The infamous slayer of my brethren here in Fuuka? Impressive." Crimson eyes roamed her body as she spoke, making her feel a little uncomfortable.  _She's heard of me? Why am I even talking to her anyway?_

Natsuki raised one pistol to aim at Shizuru's head, her eyes narrowing as she did so. "Enough talk."

A flicker of disappointment flared in those crimson eyes, making Natsuki pause for a few seconds as she pondered the reason for it. She shook that question from her mind, thinking it weak of herself to be affected by it. Her forefinger twitched against the trigger of her gun and the shot rang out around the subway, drawing everyone's attention. She gasped as the bullet ricocheted off Shizuru's blade; the act of bringing it up to defend her face was so fast that she barely saw it. Those eyes twinkled at her from behind the weapon and she tensed her muscles, knowing the attack to be imminent.

A blur of chestnut, black and red was all she could see at first, and she dived to one side as the blade narrowly missed her shoulder. She rolled and lowered herself into a crouch as she twisted to fire off two more rounds at where she thought her opponent to be. The bullets buried themselves into the subway wall instead of meeting their intended target. She turned her head in time to see Shizuru bearing down on her once more and she launched herself forwards and away from the merciless swing.  _Damn it, she's fast._

As she scrambled to her feet, she noticed another one of her werewolf kin enter the fray and she realised she didn't know his name either. At least he had a weapon though. He aimed his pistol at Shizuru but the bullets never hit and the vampire easily closed the distance. Natsuki didn't have time to get a shot off as Shizuru thrust her blade into the man's chest, causing him to open his mouth to let out a scream. The only sound that emerged was a sickening gurgling sound as the life drained from his body.

Instantly, Shizuru's eyes were on Natsuki once more as she stood there with her sword buried in the dead man's chest. A smirk tugged at her lips and she made no move to pull it out. When Natsuki's eyes narrowed and she snarled in anger, then Shizuru placed a foot against her victim's stomach and pushed him off her blade. The blood was camouflaged well against the colour of the metal. The elder turned slowly and faced Natsuki, apparently waiting for her to make the first move again, taunting her with that calm expression. Natsuki took that moment to glance to her left to check if Nao and Takeda were still alive. They had seemingly taken care of their own opponents and both wore similar horrified expressions at what had just transpired. Natsuki hoped they wouldn't interfere, as she wasn't sure they'd be able to avoid the same fate.

She could feel the sweat accumulating in her palms and she gripped the pistols tighter so she wouldn't drop them. No vampire had ever caused this reaction in her before, but she had never had to go up against an elder either. If they were all like this one she hoped she'd never have to again. All she could do was stare back into those blood red depths, captivated by their unusual beauty. Perhaps this was the charm of an elder? She clenched her jaw as she tried to regain her composure. Shizuru's lips twitched into another calm smile as she stood there unmoving.

"What the hell are you doing, Kuga! Kill the bitch!" came Nao's incredulous shout from the other side of the subway.

Natsuki watched as crimson eyes slid to the right, focusing upon the young werewolf, and she saw the fingers gripping the blade twitch slightly. If she didn't act now, she was sure to lose another member of her pack. She raised both pistols and released several rounds in Shizuru's direction. Some of them piled into the pillar behind her, releasing a cloud of dust and debris into the air. She flinched as she felt something whiz past her neck, a sharp whistle reaching her ears to accompany it. She froze, the shock of the attack causing each of her muscles to cramp up.

The skin around her right shoulder suddenly felt a bit cooler and she looked down at it to find the strap of her vest to be cleanly cut. She gaped as the white fabric hung down revealing her shoulder blade and the milky skin just below her collarbone. She spun around, instinctively knowing the vampire to be standing behind her. And there she was, propping the blade up over her shoulder and smirking at Natsuki, her head tilted to one side. Natsuki could feel the anger welling up inside her, the beast wanted to be released but she pushed it down; it wouldn't do to lose her cool in a fight.

"Natsuki has a lovely complexion," Shizuru murmured, her eyes wandering down to linger over her handiwork.

Natsuki snarled at her, baring her teeth. "Don't call me that!"

The elder arched an eyebrow at her. "We are equal opponents fighting to the death, are we not? What is there that can possibly bring us closer? I believe I have the right to call you by your name." Her tone was earnest and Natsuki found herself surprised by that.

"Since when do vampires have honour?" she spat, raising her pistols once more. It was more than a mere insult, she had not come across one vampire that had ever shown a shred of honour or who had been worthy of showing honour to. Most of those creatures had been fairly young in the scheme of things, of course, but she had truly believed that they were an honourless breed.

Natsuki caught the amused glint in the elder's eyes. "I would think the same of you if I were not a little more experienced," she stated matter-of-factly.

She didn't like that insinuation one bit, even though half of the statement could be considered a compliment as well. She didn't need compliments from her enemies. She squeezed the triggers on her pistols once more, firing one shot at where the elder was and the second at where she thought her opponent might move to. The forethought paid off and she saw that blur of motion falter for a moment and Shizuru veered off her current path that was directed at her. The vampire came to a stop to her right, whirling around to face Natsuki as if the movement was planned.

Natsuki's heightened senses immediately picked up a new scent and she realised it was the elder's blood. Her eyes honed in on the gash along Shizuru's upper left arm, the bullet seemingly having clipped her. Fresh blood seeped from the wound and she could see a sliver of pale skin. Surprise soon vanished from those crimson eyes and another smirk appeared on Shizuru's face. "So your reputation is more than mere rumour," she stated, almost appreciatively.

Natsuki kept her pistols level with her opponent, expecting movement at any moment. If the bullet had cut into her flesh any deeper then it would probably have done a lot more damage to the vampire; the contents of the small piece of metal would have been able to get into her bloodstream and take her down. But if she could clip Shizuru, then that meant she could defeat her and she felt a bit more hopeful for surviving this fight. "Don't underestimate me." She growled.

"My apologies. It has been so long since my last good battle, I had hoped to prolong this." Natsuki saw something like regret flicker in Shizuru's eyes but she thought it a trick. What would an elder have to regret anyway? She must have been trying to stall her, keep her off-guard, but she wasn't going to fall for it. She squeezed the triggers of her weapons again, this time firing more bullets than she normally would, hoping to land a solid hit. There was that whistling sound again and she stumbled backwards as she felt the air disturbed at her stomach. She looked down in horror at the large gash through her vest travelling the width of her abdomen.

She spun on her heel, facing the grinning vampire once more. Why was she toying with her like this? If she could get past her defences so easily, then why not just kill her? How could she even make such a precise attack with such a large and bulky weapon? There wasn't a single scratch on her skin. That thought made her shudder as she glared at her opponent. The vampire seemed rather pleased with herself. When Shizuru surged forwards again, the attack caught Natsuki unawares as she'd expected her to gloat a little. She heard the blade cut through the denim of her jeans this time and she fired off a few shots of her pistols in response, causing the vampire to break away quickly.

Shizuru pressed her back against a pillar, raising her weapon up to partly cover her face. She peered out over it, eyeing Natsuki's right thigh with great interest. The werewolf left out a frustrated snarl as she saw the skin of her leg exposed and yet no trace of a wound.  _How the hell..?_ She looked back up at her target, unable to hide the surprise any longer. She thrust her pistols back into their holsters, considering them useless for the time being. The elder was just too damn fast. Shizuru's eyes met hers with amusement glinting in their depths. "Does Natsuki surrender to me?" she asked, her tone all-too playful for her liking.

"No," she spat, her hands tightening into fists.

"Such a shame." Shizuru's voice deepened with disappointment. When Natsuki made no move to reply or attack, she lowered her weapon a little. "How does Natsuki plan to defend herself without a weapon?"

There she was talking again, why did she do that? It was seriously irritating. Why couldn't they just fight and get it over with? Besides, it wasn't as if she'd answer questions like that truthfully; that would give her enemy an even larger advantage over her. She edged to her right, carefully stepping over debris, trying to get a better angle on the elder. The vampire had the advantage of speed and her weapon but Natsuki was skilled in hand-to-hand combat and that was a surprise she hoped she could hold to her advantage.

Blood red eyes followed her every movement but Shizuru didn't shift her position, eventually leaving her posture open to Natsuki should she choose to attack from her current location. Natsuki just couldn't get a read on this opponent, she did things that completely contradicted everything she'd been taught and learnt about combat. Now only roughly ten feet away, she could probably lunge at the vampire and land a hit if she was quick enough. But that was the problem, Shizuru seemed impossibly fast and she needed to use her own abilities wisely.

"Or does Natsuki wish me to disrobe her further?" A perfectly sculpted eyebrow arched as the smirk grew, revealing a hint of one of the vampire's fangs.

The question brought the werewolf out of her analysis and her eyes widened in shock.  _What the hell! The nerve..._ She could feel a heat rise to her face though, and she glared angrily at Shizuru to try and hide it. This only proved to amuse her opponent further and Shizuru shifted to face her properly, lowering her blade to her side once more. She was completely open now and Natsuki would have interpreted the action as arrogance had she not seen the sheen of respect in those crimson orbs. Why would a vampire have any form of respect for a werewolf anyway? Natsuki couldn't understand it.

Shizuru took a step forwards, her long legs tensing slightly with the movement and Natsuki found her eyes drawn to them as adrenaline pumped faster throughout her body. The vampire was making very slow and very measured motions, not attempting to take her opponent by surprise. This just added to Natsuki's confusion. The closer she got, the more the fluttering in her stomach picked up. Was she nervous? That had never happened before. Once she was within a few feet, Natsuki lunged forwards, hands stretching out for Shizuru's sword arm. If only she could get to that.

The elder spun to the side to avoid the attack as Natsuki had expected so she lashed out, her fist glancing off the other woman's cheek. She heard Shizuru grunt and stagger backwards, surprise evident in her features. She raised her weapon up in front of herself, the tip of it aimed at Natsuki. Her free hand brushed against the reddened spot at her jaw and a pink tongue peeked out from behind full lips to capture the small trickle of blood that tried to escape. Crimson bore right into Natsuki with an intensity that hadn't been there before.

"It seems Natsuki does not want to play," Shizuru spoke around the pain; her usual accent distorted a little, the slightest hint of annoyance breaking through her calm exterior.

Natsuki's eyes narrowed. "I would have thought you'd like it rough."  _What the..? Why did I say that! Gah, whatever... focus..._ She tried not to blush at the low chuckle that spilled past her opponent's lips.

"On the contrary," Shizuru murmured and then she shifted forwards. Natsuki tensed, ready to defend herself against the attack. She sensed the movement beside her before her eyes could register it and she struck out to her left, hoping to catch the vampire once more. She felt a pressure at her waist, something cool against her recently exposed skin. Then red flashed before her and a much colder sensation pressed against her throat. She froze as she realised Shizuru had gotten behind her, wrapped an arm around her mid-section and had pressed her blade to Natsuki's neck. "I am very deliberate and tender in everything that I do."

The werewolf squeezed her eyes shut, expecting the end to come quickly. Instead, she found herself gasping as she felt the softness of the other woman pressed tightly into her back.  _Why aren't I dead yet?_ Her two kinsmen had met an instant death after all. It made no sense for her still to be breathing and thinking these thoughts. Her muscles tensed as she considered trying to escape the position but when the blade drew closer to her skin, she decided against it. She was at the mercy of this vampire elder now and probably had been the entire time.

"Natsuki is so soft and warm," came a low purring beside her ear and it made her shiver. Shizuru's cool fingers slipped under the material of Natsuki's vest, the task made easier by the fact that there was a large gash in it. Natsuki clenched her jaw so she could turn the odd noise building at the back of her throat into a snarl. She knew vampires were cool to the touch, they were dead after all, but it was strange feeling the chill sliding against her skin now. What was even more irritating was that it wasn't entirely unpleasant either.

Breath trailed down her neck to her shoulder, causing a shudder to shake her form. She found herself wondering if vampires even needed to breathe but they had to at least have the ability to as Shizuru was doing so rather tantalizingly now. The air was oddly cool like the rest of the elder and from the way it hit her neck, she could tell Shizuru's face was close to her skin.  _So that's her plan... I won't be some vampire's meal!_ She felt something brush against the sensitive skin of her neck and another shiver crept down her spine. There was no sharp pain as she had expected though, just a soft pressure. She became aware of a scent but it wasn't one she recognised. It reminded her of tealeaves and leather. She found it quite pleasant. Could it be the elder? Could a vampire actually smell of anything but death?

"Mmm, I can feel the blood coursing through Natsuki's veins." That soft sensation fluttered against the werewolf's neck once more and she realised it was Shizuru's lips. They were resting just above her jugular. The proximity of the vampire was causing abnormal reactions within her and she tried to focus on something else, anything that could help free her from the elder's grasp. Her gaze found the two remaining members of her pack: Nao and Takeda. Takeda's face had changed to a strange purple colour and his eyes were clouded with what Natsuki recognised as anger or perhaps jealousy. Nao was merely gaping at what was transpiring before her. Both of them had shifted positions slightly but didn't dare to approach, lest their kinsman be killed.

"If you're going to suck me dry, get on with it," she growled, the words forced through clenched teeth. She felt a soft rumbling coming from behind her and realised Shizuru was chuckling. Why was she so damn infuriating? Was she trying to annoy her to death? Perhaps she was testing out a new technique.

"Tempting..." came the lilting tones at her neck. "But if I'd wanted to do that, Natsuki would already be dead." The voice hardened as the words spilled out and she knew them to be true. She still couldn't figure out what was happening though.

"Why aren't I dead yet?" Natsuki mumbled, keeping her voice low so the other pack members couldn't hear her. She felt the blade of the weapon fall away from her throat slightly. The body against her back shifted a little, sending a new shudder through her body. Why was her own body betraying her like this? What was that vampire doing to her?

"Why would I waste something so delightful?" There was that mocking tone again.  _No, not mocking, teasing perhaps?_ "Natsuki is not like the others, is she? I find that intriguing."

 _Intriguing?_ What did she mean anyway? How was she different? Before she could reply to the strange questions, her senses bristled and her eyes shot to the stairs that led out of the subway. The elder must have picked up on something too as she had tensed behind Natsuki. A shrill cry pierced the unnatural silence that had gathered in the subway and Natsuki recognised it as belonging to Haruka. She couldn't make out the words, but somewhere above them the blonde was in a state of alarm. Another noise soon joined the yelling, and a body came tumbling down the steps, rolling to a stop near Takeda.

Natsuki recognised the newcomer as one of the nameless werewolves that had joined their hunt. His eyes had rolled back into his head and his chest was littered with small circular holes that seemed to be smoking. The scent of something familiar reached her nostrils and she heard Nao gasp in panic.  _Silver-nitrate bullets._ The smell was unmistakable. Death could be slow and painful if you were clipped and instantaneous if it hit a vital organ. But who would have that ammunition here? She thought all the vampires had been taken care of.

She felt her body being turned by Shizuru and the vampire now placed herself in between Natsuki and the corpse of her pack member. Her brow furrowed but she didn't have time to ponder the action as a clicking noise echoed throughout the room. She moved her head to the side carefully, attempting to look to the stairs without wounding herself on the blade at her throat. A pair of black shoes appeared first, obviously the source of the sound, quickly followed by a black suit and a smiling face. The man presented before them was quite young and he held a pistol in one hand, raised in front of his body.

"Searrs..." she heard Shizuru whisper next to her ear. Natsuki recognised the name. They were a bunch of 'monster hunters' who killed her kind mercilessly. The amount of confrontations they'd had with Searrs over the past few months had dropped drastically though so she was surprised to see one of them now. He must have been the one to have killed the other pack member. Her eyes narrowed as she peered at the gun; it had obviously been modified. She could hear more commotion from above so she guessed there were more of them.  _Just great. Can things get any worse?_

The man's smile turned into a twisted grin as her eyes rose to his. "Werewolves." he spat and she tensed as the sound of gunfire rang out. She instinctively squeezed her eyes shut, not having the ability to evade the incoming bullets. She didn't feel the searing pain or the impact though. She heard an almost strangled gasp beside her and she found herself being pushed forwards. The obstruction in front of her clattered to the ground, metal meeting the floor with a loud clamour.  _What the hell just happened?_

Natsuki braced herself, which stopped her from being toppled by the weight behind her and she heard the gunman call out in what sounded like pain. She turned against the weight at her back and caught Shizuru as she slumped forwards, her gaze snapping to the steps in time to see Takeda tearing into the shooter. The gun tumbled down the steps and halted harmlessly at the first pillar. Her eyes went immediately back to the elder and she looked her over. The vampire's head hung low and all she could see of her was a chestnut mane. A ragged cough racked the other woman's body and she strained to stay on her feet.

"What..?" Natsuki breathed, her mind whirling as she tried to figure out what had just happened. She pushed the vampire backwards and leant her up against a pillar, hearing Shizuru hiss out in pain as she did so. As she brought her right arm away from around the elder she noticed the liquid coating her hands. Blood. Her brow furrowed as the pieces began to fall into place. "Why did you do that?" she whispered harshly.

Shizuru raised her head up and smiled weakly at Natsuki. "Such... a waste..." she murmured, her usually calm voice quivering a little. The werewolf found her head shaking of its own accord.  _Why? Why would she take those bullets? It makes no sense. We're enemies. Mortal enemies._ She watched as Shizuru's eyelids clamped shut and an expression of intense concentration passed over her features. Within moments the vampire straightened and opened her eyes again; her crimson pools were slightly cloudy but her face was a wall of calm once more.

Natsuki opened her mouth to speak but couldn't form any words. Shizuru peered levelly at her but then snapped to the side as Natsuki picked up on more footsteps on the subway stairs.  _Crap. More?_ Her eyes skimmed the room and she found the forms of her two kinsmen. "Get moving! We can't risk fighting against them when they're armed with silver-nitrate," she called across the subway station and Takeda nodded back at her. Nao seemed indecisive but when Natsuki glared at her she turned and fled into the subway tunnel. That appeared to be the only means of escape for them.

She glanced back at Shizuru who was staring back at her, almost expectantly. She should just leave her enemy here but something made her hesitate. Was she getting soft? Before she could make a decision, the vampire smirked at her, turned and headed towards the tunnel. She stared after the running woman, her eyes lingering over the bloodied leather coat and she noticed the damage the bullets had caused. The sound of gunfire caused her to flinch instinctively and she registered the two new Searrs men at the lower steps.

Both men turned and looked her way, pistols raised. She needed to get out of there immediately. She didn't have a vampire as a meat shield this time. When gunfire rung out once more she ducked and rolled behind a pillar, pushing herself up against it so no body parts could be used as target practice. She glanced at the tunnel Shizuru had just disappeared into and growled, she had no choice. She had to follow her enemy or be killed. Without another thought she lurched forwards and sprinted for the track, throwing herself to the ground and rolling with the momentum as she felt bullets whiz past her, all too close for her liking.

When she rolled to her feet, she pushed herself up and continued running, finding herself in the tunnel quickly. The darkness closed in around her as she ran further into it and she could hear nor see any sign of Shizuru or her pack members. Keeping the fast pace, she tensed her muscles further as her senses bristled, every fibre of her being on high alert. Whether her enemy was Searrs or vampire, she'd be ready for them.


	2. Fang and Claw

She blinked, the gloominess of the tunnel obscuring Natsuki's view of any possible threats. Her breaths came in short, ragged spurts and her muscles were beginning to feel the strain of prolonged exertion. She leant over, resting her hands on her knees and taking in deep breaths to steady herself. Natsuki was unaware of how long she'd been running for and even where she was. The tunnels all looked the same in the darkness, even with her heightened senses.  _Damn, there's so many of them_ , she cursed internally.

Once her pulse had returned to a somewhat normal speed, Natsuki straightened her posture, feeling each of her muscles cry out in complaint as she did so. She rolled her shoulders to work out the knots that were beginning to amass there. That encounter in the subway had obviously taken more out of her than she had, at first, realised. Natsuki frowned at the thought, disliking that this vampire elder could affect her so much. Where had she gotten to anyway?

She glanced up and down the tunnel but could pick up no signs of movement, visually or aurally. She tilted her head back a little and sniffed the air, taking in the many scents that filled the old tunnels. Within the haze of mildew, iron and dust was a hint of something she immediately honed in on. Blood. Any young werewolf might mistake its metallic scent for the rusting girders that lined the walls of this place but she could easily pick out the differences. Moreover, she could tell it wasn't human blood. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck bristle as she narrowed her eyes. There was a vampire nearby. A wounded vampire.

Natsuki instinctively pressed herself up against the nearest wall, making sure she wouldn't be any easier a target than she already was. She could feel the damp stone behind her, the rough texture coated with something that felt worryingly slimy and she found herself cursing the vampire elder for the umpteenth time for damaging her clothing. That thought brought back the chain of events that followed. She still couldn't fathom Shizuru's reasoning for blocking those bullets. Her words had been echoing in her mind since she had said them but Natsuki couldn't believe that was the motivation. There had to be something else. Was she trying to mess with her head? That seemed like something she would do; elders tended to be subtler with their plotting.

The werewolf let out a frustrated breath, annoyed that she was thinking about that vampire yet again. What was it about her? She should be worrying about getting herself out of this maze, not about the inner workings of a vampire's mind. Shaking her head, she cleared her mind as best she could and looked up and down the tunnel once more. It was hard to tell which direction the scent of blood came from and she wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to be heading toward it or away from it.

This particular tunnel appeared to curve off to the east at one end, whilst the other seemed to go on straight for quite a way. The inky darkness didn't aid in making the decision any easier either. There was a small hatch nearby which led back into the tunnel from which she had emerged but she certainly wasn't going to retrace her steps now. She didn't want to risk running into those gunmen nor did she think she'd be able to recognise the route she had come.

Deciding that she had always preferred curves anyway, she took a step towards the northern end of the tunnel. At least, she believed it was north; she had always had a good sense for that kind of thing. Her booted foot hit a small puddle of water and the resulting noise echoed down the length of the tunnel, causing Natsuki to cringe. It seemed unbearably loud to her but was probably only a slight sound that would have been hard to pick up by anyone other than a werewolf or vampire. She hoped so anyway. Besides, if her previous running hadn't garnered any attention, walking carefully through puddles wasn't likely to.

Natsuki pressed onwards, eyeing the ground warily with each step, her other senses on full alert for any signs that she wasn't alone. She made her way around the bend in the tunnel and looked up to see a long stretch of darkness. A crease marred her brow as she frowned, knowing that if an ambush awaited her, it'd be too late by the time she realised it. Alcoves in the walls, obstacles in the passageways and low visibility made it perfect conditions for a surprise attack.

She was no coward though. She had decided on this route so this way she would go.  _Perhaps that just makes me stubborn_ , she pondered. Shrugging, she moved forwards, her eyes darting from stone to floor to barrel. No object was left untouched by her emerald gaze. After several minutes of slow progress, her muscles began to relax a little and the prospect of an ambush began to fade, at least in this part of the tunnel. She debated the idea of allowing the transformation to occur down here so she might be able to use her senses to better effect but she was still reticent about it. That form gave many benefits but she also believed it took a little of her humanity from her in return and she didn't like that at all.

Natsuki rolled her eyes and shook her head again. She was probably over-thinking it and she found it quite annoying when those moments of deep thought came along. Her right hand moved to one of the holsters at her ribs as she continued to edge along the passage, the fingers brushing against the cool metal of her pistol. Her fingers twitched as faint noises resounded off the walls of the tunnel, making it difficult to place where they had come from. She wondered if it was merely this old network of passageways that made those noises or if there was a more animated cause.

After a few moments, she spotted a recess in the stone and, as she neared, she saw a metal door set into it. She paused in front of it and looked it over, noting that there was no handle, only a lock. She leaned in to inspect the lock further, pressing her palm flat against the door. She almost stumbled forwards as the door swung open with a slight creak. Natsuki straightened herself and peered past the metal, squinting into the darkness. It appeared to lead into some sort of room and not another tunnel such as the one she stood in. That seemed fairly promising to her.

Without further thought, she slipped past the door and into the room, blinking several times as her eyes adjusted to the even darker light level. Something caught her attention across the other side of the room though and she took a few steps forwards. There was a faint glow of light coming from a crack in the opposite wall. She guessed there was a door there but she couldn't see it. She waited several more minutes until she could make out the slightest outline of a doorframe.

She took careful steps forwards until she reached the door. Now that she was closer, she could make out the surrounding objects fairly well. There was a small table off to her left and what looked like a notice board against the wall to her right. She ignored those though and focused her attention on the door in front of her. The glow of light seeped under the door and illuminated only an inch or so of the floor. She placed a hand against the door and leaned in towards it, turning her head to the side so she could listen more efficiently.

No sounds came from the room beyond as far as she could tell. She sniffed a few times, taking in the scents of the room she stood in and there was that faint odour of blood again. The same as she'd smelt before. It seemed stronger now though and she wondered if she'd chosen the right direction after all. Her fingers brushed against the metallic doorknob as she dropped her hand a little and she paused, some instinct prickling at the back of her mind. Something told her opening this door might not be a particularly good idea.

Natsuki sighed softly, deciding that she was becoming paranoid. Many years of being hunted could do that to a girl. She found it rather ironic how often she found herself the prey when she was supposedly a born hunter. If it wasn't vampires after her hide, then it was self-styled monster hunters or some ancient organisation. She couldn't quite decide which was worse.

She turned her attention back to the door and the room beyond. Her curiosity getting the better of her, she gripped the doorknob and turned it, hearing the door open with a soft click. She pushed it open slowly, her heartbeat quickening slightly with anticipation. Light spilled out across the floor of the room she stood in, touching her boots before spreading up across her legs. She pressed her back against the door as she continued to open it and peered into the other room.

Natsuki could make out yet another table in the corner nearest her. It held a few pieces of paper and a pen but nothing else that she could see. The tiled floor was dusty and it had been recently disturbed so she knew someone had been through here. Whether it had been in the last few minutes or hours, it was hard to tell. She edged into the room slightly and peeked around the door, noting several filing cabinets along the far wall and an overturned chair.

Her gaze slid along the width of the room until it met something that was moving. Barely. Natsuki felt her brow furrow as she noted the black leather splayed out across the floor. A trickle of perspiration slid down her back, causing her to involuntarily shiver and she hadn't even realised how stuffy it was in this area. She stepped further into the room, quickly closing the door behind her as her right hand gripped her pistol but she didn't withdraw it from its holster.

She could now see that the leather-clad figure was slumped against the wall in one corner of the room; the only view of their head was a mass of chestnut hair. Recognition had already struck her and she found her mouth unusually dry all of a sudden. Shizuru. From the small shudders that shook the other woman's shoulders, Natsuki reasoned that she was in a lot of pain. Those bullets had done more damage than she'd let on. Yet, Natsuki couldn't fathom why that bothered her.

She glanced around the room quickly and ascertained that no one else was in it before quickly moving forwards towards the vampire. She paused a few feet in front of her, the prospect that this was a ploy entering her mind. She quickly discarded that thought though. Although Shizuru seemed to like playing with her prey, she was more than capable of attacking Natsuki head-on even in her injured condition. As hard to admit as that was for the werewolf.

Natsuki lowered herself to her knees and tried to assess Shizuru's situation as best she could from her distance. She quickly noted the red blade lying beside the vampire.  _I don't remember seeing her pick that up…_  She edged forwards and reached out towards Shizuru's knee with one hand but hesitated before she could touch it. Did she even want to help the elder? They were mortal enemies after all and her whole purpose for being here was to kill her. She frowned at the thought. The vampire had saved her life though, at risk to her own.  _Or unlife, whatever._

She gripped one of her pistols tightly with her right hand once more and released it from its holster. She glanced down at it for a moment, indecision clouding her mind. Finally, she raised it, bringing the barrel level with Shizuru's head. Natsuki clenched her teeth, the idea of shooting her whilst she was helpless leaving a bad taste in her mouth. Her pack may not have had a problem with killing this elder whilst she was in this state but Natsuki certainly did; there was no honour in it.

"Damn it…" she breathed, unable to hold the curse in as her hand shook slightly.  _Why can't I just pull the trigger?_

She inhaled sharply and her eyes widened as she felt something clamp around her wrist. Cool fingers gripped her arm firmly and moved it so the gun was pointed away from Shizuru's head. Natsuki's eyes flicked between her wrist and the vampire's hair. She felt a shiver creep down her spine as red eyes peered back at her through a curtain of chestnut. Her muscles weakened under that intense gaze and she thought she might drop her weapon altogether but she managed to hang onto it.

"Natsuki…" came a low whisper that sent a shudder through her. She swallowed hard, expecting some form of attack to come. Shizuru had toyed with her previously but she didn't expect the elder to be so playful when a gun was pointed at her so closely.

When no such attack came, she yanked her arm out of Shizuru's grip, the cold sensation of her fingers lingering on Natsuki's skin. Scrambling backwards a few feet, she pointed the gun at Shizuru once more, her senses on full alert. Why hadn't she attacked?  _Surely she knows I mean to kill her._ Perhaps the vampire was more affected by her injuries than Natsuki had first thought.

Moments passed as Natsuki was frozen in that position, a crimson gaze holding her captive, her resolve wavering. Instincts battled within her for dominance. The wolf inside her told her to kill this vampire and be done with it, fulfilling her duty to the pack, but every ounce of her humanity screamed at her to lower the weapon. A part of her felt she owed Shizuru at least a half-decent chance to defend herself when the final blow came, for saving her back in the subway.

The intensity in Shizuru's eyes faded and she dropped her gaze suddenly, a small sound escaping the elder's throat as she lurched forwards in pain. Thoughts of assassinating her immediately fled Natsuki's mind and she lowered her gun, shifting closer to the other woman in order to assist her. Placing a hand on a leather clad shoulder, Natsuki pushed Shizuru back against the wall so she could get a better look at her face.

Shizuru leant back awkwardly, resting her head against the wall as her features returned to normal, hiding any hints of pain. Natsuki could tell that it was taking quite some effort to do and wondered if it was pride that forced her to do that or the need to hide any form of weakness from her enemies. She watched as the elder's lips parted ever so slightly, as if she was about to speak. Shizuru paused before looking Natsuki directly in the eye.

"Natsuki is rather torn, it seems," she murmured quietly, her voice somewhat strained.

"I told you to…" Natsuki trailed off, her ire losing its steam very quickly as she noted the pain in Shizuru's eyes. That was one place she couldn't keep some degree of emotion from showing. The werewolf let out a resigned sigh as she glanced towards the only exit from the room. "We'd better get moving."

"We?" the elder questioned, an eyebrow quirked.

Natsuki forced herself not to react to the question, her immediate instinct to angrily deflect it. "You heard right."

The small smile that tugged at one corner of Shizuru's lips only made the task of remaining stoic all the harder. "I need a little longer before I can move."

Natsuki eyed the vampire for several moments, trying to gauge the true extent of her injuries. She would have thought that Shizuru could still move, albeit painfully, as she managed to get here fairly quickly. "Really..?" she asked doubtfully.

Shizuru nodded once but didn't say another word. Instead, her eyes shifted to the door, her body stiffening. The action caused Natsuki's senses to bristle and she instinctually knew danger was close, her own gaze falling upon the door. She listened carefully, attempting to discern what had caused this reaction in them both. Her heightened sense of hearing picked up the slightest movement from outside the room; possibly in the tunnel she had travelled through previously. She couldn't be sure what the sound was though, as the echoes of this place distorted it.

A hand gripping her forearm almost startled her and she glanced down at Shizuru's hand once before looking her in the eye. The vampire answered the silent question in a hushed tone. "I'm afraid I cannot assist you this time."

Natsuki swallowed her pride, fighting against the urge to tell the elder that she didn't need her assistance anyway. Instead, she pushed herself up into a crouching position and began to move towards the door. "Stay here, and stay quiet," she ordered, before sidling up to the door and closing her fingers around the handle.

She opened the door painfully slowly, trying to make as little noise as possible. Of course, if there was someone standing, watching on the other side of the door, all the precaution in the world wouldn't stop her action from going unnoticed. She hoped her luck wasn't quite that bad. Once the slightest gap was made between the door and its frame, she peered into the other room, the dim light not assisting her view of it very much. From the angle, she couldn't see if someone was there or not, but she could pick up the faintest scent of human.

Her muscles tensed automatically as her mind sped through a list of possible threats, Searrs being at the top of that long flow of names. Steeling herself, she clenched her jaw as she pushed the door open further, relief filling her as she saw the room was empty. Whoever was around, hadn't discovered this area yet. But she couldn't relax, there was every chance they were standing right outside in the tunnel.

She took one last glance behind her at the slumped frame of Shizuru before slipping into the next room, moving quickly to the other door. Natsuki pressed herself up against the hard, cold stone of the wall to the right of the door, forcing herself to be as still as possible. Then, she merely waited and listened. She knew Searrs were thorough, determined, and relentless in their fanaticism and they wouldn't leave any room untouched down here. It would be only a matter of time before confrontation found her once more.

The slightest scuffle from the tunnel reached her ears and she stiffened, pressing herself closer to that wall as if she could merge into it. Another scuffle. And then another. Someone was coming closer. The sound stopped for several moments and she found herself holding her breath. The clicking of the door as someone gripped the handle sounded unbearably loud and Natsuki's pulse quickened in anticipation. She readied herself, preparing to ambush anyone stepping through that door.

She watched as the door handle turned, in a similar manner to how she'd opened the previous door. There was a soft click as the door was released from the frame and it was pushed open. The door continued to swing on its own momentum but no one appeared and Natsuki could feel a trickle of perspiration slide down her neck. Whoever was there was being incredibly cautious.  _Damn them, where did they get good training?_

When several more moments passed without as much as a sound, she grew impatient. She strained to try and hear something, the background noise of this place obscuring most signs of life. She could just make out the quick rhythm of her opponent's breathing. Whilst it wasn't quite fast enough to denote fear, she could tell they were in a fairly excited state. Whether that was from nerves or anticipation, she didn't know.

She inwardly debated edging towards the door to confront her opponent, but the fear of losing the advantage of surprise stopped her. She decided that patience was her best ally at that moment. She slowly brought up the hand that gripped her pistol, levelling the tip of the barrel with where she expected her foe's head to be when they eventually entered the room.

Her forefinger twitched slightly over the pistol's trigger as she detected the sound of movement only feet away. She narrowed her eyes, focusing her senses on that doorway. She could just make out the outline of a man as he stepped slowly into the room, a handgun held in front of him. His posture showed he was fairly experienced with his weapon but he hadn't seemed to have detected her presence yet. All the training in the world was useless if you didn't see your enemy coming.

Natsuki waited for the suited man to clear the doorframe before she made her move. Her muscles tensed as she prepared to lunge rather than put a bullet in his head. The last thing she needed was to be attracting more of his friends with unnecessary noise. It appeared she had waited too long, however, as she saw him flinch and his breathing stick in his chest. He had sensed her.

Before he had the chance to whirl around and start blindly firing his weapon, she pounced, covering the short distance quickly. She gripped his right wrist with her free hand as her body collided with his, sending them both to the ground. A burst of air was expelled harshly from his lungs, keeping him from calling out for help. She reacted with blinding speed, forcing her forearm over his windpipe, as she increased the pressure on his wrist drastically. His gun fell to the stone floor with a slight clatter as he struggled to draw in a breath.

She couldn't make out his face very well but she imagined it would be turning a deep shade of purple at that moment. She didn't relent, even when quiet gurgling noises rose up from the back of his throat and the fight began to drain from his body. One last spasm of desperation marked his end and he went completely limp. She stayed there, motionless, as she listened to his heartbeat fade and felt the heat rise from his body. That, too, would soon be gone.

Letting out a sigh, she lifted herself slowly and brushed herself off. She slipped her own pistol back into its holster and glanced back towards the door to the tunnel. She couldn't sense any of his comrades. That didn't mean there weren't more, of course, but it gave her some reprieve at least.

Turning her attention back to the dead Searrs agent, she decided it would be best if she moved the body. Grasping his hands, she dragged him easily across the floor to the opposite side of the table, where she hoped he'd be harder to spot. She gave him one last look before returning to the doorway. Peeking her head out, she glanced up and down the tunnel but could pick up no movement. Satisfied with that, she retreated back into the room and closed the door.

Natsuki paused as she looked back towards the connecting room, her mind coming back to the vampire elder. What was she going to do about her? This was getting far too complicated for her liking. She frowned as she bent down to pick up the Searrs pistol. It felt unusually heavy in her hand and the idea that the contents of the bullets could be the end of her left a large knot in her stomach. It wouldn't be wise to leave a werewolf killer lying around though.

Tucking the pistol into the waistband of her jeans, she made her way back to the room that held Shizuru. If she were given a choice between facing Searrs who were out to exterminate her kind, and having to deal with a vampire who enjoyed toying with her, she probably would have chosen the former. It was just her luck that she was forced to deal with both.

She quietly slipped back into the room, closing the door behind her, her gaze finding Shizuru. As she moved closer, it became apparent that Shizuru wasn't holding up too well. She had slumped further against the wall, her frame lolling to one side and her head hanging limply. The knot that had formed in Natsuki's stomach grew larger.  _Could those bullets kill a vampire too?_ She'd never heard of any testing being performed on vampires.

Natsuki knelt down beside Shizuru carefully, concern etching itself into her brow. It was a little disconcerting being this close to her and not feeling the heat from her body. For a split second Natsuki's instincts told her Shizuru was dead but it didn't take her mind long to correct that mistake. She was a vampire; there would never be any heat under that skin again.

She leaned in a little, reaching out with one hand to grasp the vampire's chin lightly, tilting her head back. Shizuru's refined features were relaxed and her eyes closed. The furrow in Natsuki's brow deepened as she wondered how she was meant to tell if a vampire was alive or not. That thought was brought to an end when Shizuru's mouth twitched ever so slightly.

The thought crossed her mind that the elder might be feigning unconsciousness but she couldn't think of a good reason why. It had become apparent that Natsuki wasn't about to finish her off, not while she was in this condition at any rate. Besides, Shizuru seemed to have a lot of fun playing with Natsuki and she needed to be awake to do that. That led the werewolf to believe that Shizuru had actually succumbed to her wounds. She wasn't sure if that was better than feigning though.

As she held her enemy's chin in one hand, she went over her options. It would have been easy to just leave her here but then she'd never be certain of the vampire's fate. She could finish her off and perhaps put it down to a mercy killing but she wasn't sure her sense of honour would allow it. Not if her earlier performance was anything to go by. Then there was the option of dragging Shizuru out of here. But that would likely be awkward and not at all stealthy. It would make her an easy target to those Searrs goons.

She let out a frustrated breath, not liking any of the options.  _How am I supposed to get her out of here?_  The question echoed in her mind, followed quickly by another.  _Why do I even want to?_ That was one she didn't want to face just yet. Natsuki's eyes fell to Shizuru's lips as they twitched again and an idea struck her. There was one way a vampire could regain her energy without having to recuperate for hours on end. A way that wasn't available to her werewolf foes.

Natsuki swallowed slowly, an unwanted pang of fear plucking at her chest. The mere idea of allowing any vampire to feed on her was enough to make her skin crawl. It was an easy way of having Shizuru regain her strength though. She had seen vampires feed before and had seen the effects of it. She had seen their insatiable hunger take hold and drain the life of their victims. The more she thought about it, the less she liked the idea. What was to stop Shizuru taking every drop of her blood?

She quickly pulled her hand away from the elder, watching as her head drooped suddenly without her support. Natsuki pressed her lips together firmly as she continued to weigh up her options. Whichever route she took, she was likely to lose out in the end. The threat of Searrs catching up to her wasn't making the decision any easier either; it just put her under pressure. And she hated being rushed into a decision.

Reaching out to the vampire once more, she laid a hand on a leather-clad shoulder, shaking her gently. "Wake up," she grunted, weakly hoping that would do the trick. When that didn't work, she shook a little harder, chestnut locks bouncing slightly with the effort. "Dammit, Shizuru, wake up!"

She let out an annoyed sigh, realising her options weren't opening up at all. She needed Shizuru awake and fighting ready if they were both going to make it out of the tunnels. Slight sounds from outside the room were making her a little jittery now as well, and she wasn't sure if it was merely water dripping in the tunnels or Searrs agents closing in on them. It seemed she would be forced into a decision, after all.

Once more, she grasped Shizuru's chin and tilted her head back. She gazed down at her peaceful features for several moments, wondering how to go about this. She didn't even know if offering her blood would cause some kind of feeding instinct to go off in the vampire. Although she'd seen vampires feed, she didn't know how they worked. The fact that Shizuru's body was limp didn't help matters either.

In order to get the two of them in a better position, Natsuki pulled Shizuru against her, resting the elder's head against her shoulder. The sudden coolness of Shizuru's body against her torso made her stiffen slightly, even though it was expected. With one arm around Shizuru's body to steady her, Natsuki raised her other hand to her face. She looked at the exposed wrist for a while, teetering on the edge of her decision. Shaking her head, she knew it was no time for doubts.

Pressing the warm skin of her wrist to her lips, she opened her mouth and bit down – gently at first. After testing the resistance, she increased the force of her bite, quickly breaking the skin. The metallic taste of blood reached her tongue and she hastily pulled her hand away, noting the contrasting red against flesh. Natsuki jostled Shizuru a little so her head was leaning back against her arm, before lifting her wrist level with the vampire's mouth.

With only inches between them, Natsuki could feel that pang of fear in her chest once more. Clenching her teeth and strengthening her resolve, she brushed her wounded wrist against Shizuru's slightly parted lips. The motion left a ruddy smear but didn't garner a reaction from the vampire. Natsuki's brow furrowed. She was so sure that would trigger something within Shizuru.

She eyed the parted lips carefully, noticing a slight twitch again. Her wrist had started to tingle now and she wondered if it was because of the wound or Shizuru's lips. Deciding not to linger on that thought, she lifted her wrist to Shizuru's mouth once more, this time pressing it against her lips. After several seconds of nothing, she felt movement against her skin.

Natsuki found herself holding her breath as she watched the elder's face, waiting for the reaction she both hoped for and feared. A tickle against her skin made her flinch slightly but she didn't pull away, instead pressing her wrist more firmly against Shizuru's lips. She felt the vampire's mouth open further and she realised what the tickle had been. Shizuru's tongue.

The sensation of that moist tongue sliding across her sensitive skin made her feel both embarrassed and sickened. She was allowing a vampire to drink from her, but it also caused a reaction within her she hadn't expected - something that stirred at the pit of her stomach. She decided to ignore it. The soft lapping continued as Natsuki watched the elder's strength slowly returning to her.

She tensed suddenly as she felt cold fingers grasp her forearm, holding her wrist in place. Shizuru's grip was fairly weak still but it at least showed Natsuki's plan was working. She let out a short gasp as she felt sharp teeth graze her skin and reflexively moved to pull her arm away but managed to stop herself in time. She expected to feel a stab of pain soon after but it never came.

She looked down at Shizuru's face as a small crease worked its way between her eyebrows and her eyelids began to flutter. Soon, she found herself staring into crimson eyes, her breath catching in her throat. Shizuru, however, looked confused.

Weakly pulling Natsuki's arm away with one hand, she wiped the blood from her lips hurriedly with her other. "What are you…?" she trailed off, her eyes shifting quickly to try and take in what was happening.

Natsuki opened her mouth to speak but couldn't summon the words to explain, the shame that had amassed in her gut keeping her silent. She looked away as she felt Shizuru try to push herself up off of Natsuki. She didn't quite have the strength to do that yet though. After several moments of silence, Natsuki managed to tear her gaze away from the stone cold floor and back to Shizuru.

The vampire was studying her. "Why did Natsuki do that?" she asked quietly, her words almost a whisper.

She had to concentrate hard to keep her gaze steady, to stop her shame from showing. It was likely Shizuru could see it in her eyes though. "I need you up and about. You were a liability as you were," she said as matter-of-factly as she could muster.

Shizuru's brow creased further. "I would have preferred you leave me be."

A pang of annoyance flared up within Natsuki at the vampire's words. "You think I wanted to do that!" she spat.

Without replying, Shizuru shakily pushed herself into a sitting position, hunching forwards slightly with her back facing Natsuki. "You took the choice from me all the same," she muttered.

Natsuki shook her head, confused.  _Choice? What the hell is she talking about?_ "You're a vampire, it's what you do!"

Shizuru edged away from her, still not turning to face Natsuki. "I suppose you're the expert now."

A low growl rose up from the back of Natsuki's throat. Here she was, utterly humiliated in allowing a vampire to drink from her and Shizuru wasn't even grateful. "I was just trying to help you! Would you prefer I leave you to die!"

Shizuru didn't respond for some time, merely sitting a few feet from Natsuki. Eventually, though, she turned around, her features unreadable. "My apologies. You are right, of course. But, please… never do that again." There was something dark and final about her words.

Natsuki's lip twitched as she fought back a sneer. "Don't think I'm ever going to help you again. We're even."

Natsuki pushed herself to her feet, straightening a bit too quickly as a feeling of dizziness muddled her thoughts. She shook her head a little and it passed swiftly. She hoped that wouldn't affect her any further. Leaning back against the table, she watched as Shizuru attempted to stand as well, her movements shaky. _This isn't going to work if she doesn't improve,_ she thought glumly.  _She should just have taken more…_

She couldn't fathom why Shizuru had reacted so negatively towards her. Could she really taste that bad? She found that reason irked her more than it should have. Shizuru was a vampire, after all, and vampires lived for one thing – the feed. Their hunger drove them much in the same way as the hunt did for werewolves. However, they couldn't exist without it, whereas werewolves didn't need to kill prey in order to survive. She'd never come across a vampire that didn't fit into that idea. Until now.

That bothered her too. She didn't want to have to consider vampires as being anything but ruthless, bloodthirsty, killers. Shizuru was making an awful lot of things complicated for her. She would be relieved when she could walk away from all of this. She tapped her fingers against her thigh as she considered leaving Shizuru like this. She had repaid her debt after all. They were even, as she had said. So, why was she hanging around?

"Is something bothering Natsuki?" came Shizuru's soft, even tone.

Natsuki looked up at the vampire with a little surprise. She seemed to be standing on her own quite well now. "Yes." She pushed herself off the table and took a step forwards. "You."

Shizuru took a few, measured steps in her direction, any previous signs of weakness in her movements having vanished. Natsuki couldn't tell if that was because Shizuru was stronger now or she was hiding it. When Shizuru had come within a foot of her, she stopped abruptly. Natsuki felt uncomfortable being so close to the vampire when she was in a more capable condition.

"You seem to be doing better," Natsuki mumbled, trying not to give away her unease.

A smirk tugged at one corner of Shizuru's mouth. "Natsuki seems to have that affect on me."

Natsuki felt a heat rise to her cheeks involuntarily at Shizuru's teasing tone, although she wasn't sure why she was so embarrassed. "What the hell is that supposed to mean!"

She regretted asking as soon as the words had left her lips as she watched the smirk widen. "Natsuki does taste rather good. Especially for a werewolf."

More blood rushed to her cheeks but embarrassment wasn't the only cause this time. Anger swelled up in her at Shizuru's last words. Had she drank from many werewolves? How many had she even killed in her lifetime? The questions made Natsuki even uneasier.

Obviously noticing Natsuki's rising ire, Shizuru leaned in closer. "But I would like to taste more of you," she whispered.

Natsuki opened her mouth to retort but she stopped herself as she tried to fathom what they meant. "You said you didn't want to…" she trailed off, confusion replacing her anger.

Shizuru paused before stepping back and turning away from Natsuki, smiling to herself. "I know," was all she said as she bent down to pick up her blade. Natsuki tried to decipher what she meant but she wasn't given any further time to as Shizuru turned around and motioned towards the door with her newly regained weapon. "Shall we go?"

Natsuki blinked blankly at her for a few moments before nodding and hastily moving to the door. Her mind was still going over the vampire's words but she had more important things to focus on at the moment. She opened the door in front of her and slipped into the other room, noting the exit to the tunnels was still closed. She paused for a moment, taking in the sounds around her, listening for any threats.

She became aware of Shizuru standing very closely behind her and she shot the vampire a glare over her shoulder. Shizuru would have almost been breathing down her neck had she been human. "What the hell are you doing?" Natsuki snarled angrily.

Shizuru smiled faintly and nodded to Natsuki's shoulder. She followed the crimson gaze, seeing her cut garments. "Natsuki really should take better care of her clothes," Shizuru uttered before deftly stepping around her and moving to the exit.

Natsuki felt the heat rise up in her as she growled at the elder. Perhaps killing her wouldn't have been such a bad idea after all.

Her temper at an almost normal level now, Natsuki found herself studying Shizuru closely as she followed behind her. They had made their way out into the tunnels and had been walking for some time now. There was no sign of Searrs but there was also no sign of a way out of this maze. Shizuru had taken the lead and Natsuki suspected she was used to it being that way. She seemed the type of leader to lead from the front.

She marvelled at the way Shizuru could move so silently through the damp corridors, without much effort at all. Natsuki wondered if she made it look so easy as well. Shizuru had seemingly recovered a lot of her strength as well now, as she didn't seem to give away any hints of injury. Natsuki's gaze lingered over the bullet holes in the back of Shizuru's leather coat. She decided not to go over the questions they raised once again. She'd just be thinking in circles.

Soon, they reached a fork in the tunnel. Yet another one. She was getting sick of this. She just wanted to see the moon again, to feel the freedom of the forest, to have a warm bath. Shizuru halted, her gaze moving from one corridor to the next. Natsuki glanced over her shoulder before sniffing the air. There was still no sign of company. On one hand that was a relief, but on the other, she was getting concerned for her pack members. They should have crossed paths by now, even if it was a cold trail.

"Which way?" Shizuru asked.

Natsuki shrugged. "Does it matter? This place is a damn labyrinth."

Shizuru lifted a hand and wagged a finger at her. "Of course it does. One way leads to the exit, one way doesn't."

Natsuki rolled her eyes at the vampire and motioned vaguely to the right-hand tunnel. "That way."

Shizuru turned to face her. "Is that your acute werewolf senses at work or are you just blindly guessing?" From her expression, Natsuki knew she didn't need an answer.

Instead of engaging in Shizuru's little game, Natsuki ignored the question and stomped past her, making more noise than she should have been. Her temper had a tendency to get in the way of her common sense, but that vampire just knew how to get under her skin it seemed.

As she headed off up the tunnel she'd pointed to, she heard Shizuru fall into step behind her. She imagined the vampire would be wearing a particularly smug grin at that moment and she didn't want to turn around and see it. Stalking through the darkness, she focused on the passage up ahead, trying not to allow her mind to wander. The tunnel appeared to be the same as many of the others she'd come across down here – gloomy, damp, and endless. It stank as well, and she found the stench had begun to irritate her sensitive nose.

A low grumble reached her ears and she glowered, realising how hungry she was now the pangs of hunger had hit her. Chuckling from behind her drew her attention and she glanced over her shoulder. "What?"

"Is Natsuki hungry?" Shizuru asked with amusement.

Natsuki's shoulders slumped a little. "Yeah, something else to add to the long list of why it sucks to be me. Anything else want to come alon—" She didn't get the chance to finish her sentence as Shizuru held a hand up suddenly, signalling her to be quiet.

She was just about to ask her what was wrong when she heard it too. Movement from the end of the tunnel. It was still fairly distant but it was coming closer steadily. Her pulse quickened as she attempted to discern who was in the tunnel, but the vague sound of footsteps wasn't enough to identify them. She glanced at Shizuru who bore a similarly concerned expression.

They looked at one another as they assessed what their next move should be but before Natsuki could make a decision, she picked up another source of noise. This time it came from where they had already been. Natsuki cursed her luck. Why couldn't she have some good luck for a change?

"Crap," she muttered under her breath.

She could see Shizuru straining to hear. "Searrs," she said simply.

"How do you know?" Natsuki asked in surprise. Even she hadn't picked up specifics.

"I could tell the click of their polished shoes miles away." Shizuru shot a look from one end of the tunnel to the other.

"What now?"

Shizuru moved closer to Natsuki, her voice dropping. "You move on up ahead. I'm better off facing Searrs than you. Let's just hope they don't have us surrounded."

Natsuki felt the urge to back off away from Shizuru but she focused on the situation at hand, taking in what the vampire had said. "Fine."

Shizuru quirked an eyebrow at her. "No protests? I didn't figure Natsuki for the subservient type," she quipped with a smirk.

Natsuki narrowed her eyes in response. "This isn't the time," she said simply, the urgency of their predicament tempering her anger.

Shizuru merely shrugged and turned, walking rather idly back the way they had come. Natsuki shook her head before moving in the opposite direction, her senses bristling. She could still make out the movements from up ahead and she wondered why anyone would be so noisy. Either they were extremely careless or extremely confident. Or arrogant.

As the sound of Shizuru's footsteps faded, she focused her senses completely on the threat ahead. She couldn't pick up any particular scents, nothing new anyway. There was still the rusting grating, the stagnant pools of water, and the scent of Shizuru that seemed to cling to Natsuki. None of it told her anything about what she was about to face though.

All of a sudden, she heard a yelp from the end of the tunnel ahead of her. Her breath caught in her throat and she lowered herself into a crouch, her eyes on the gloominess of the corridor. As she squinted, she could just make out a figure scrambling through the darkness. Soon, that multiple others joined the figure and she realised they were all running towards her.

Her eyes widened in shock as she recognised the swiftly approaching form at the head of the pack of runners.  _Nao_. She could now pick up the scent of fear in the air. It was thick and heavy. The look of terror on the young werewolf's face was enough to cause the fear within her to stir. Who was chasing her?

It didn't take her long to figure that out as the chasers came into view. Vampires. They were fast, and they were catching up to Nao. Natsuki swallowed down the lump that had formed in her throat. She'd never make it to them in time before they caught her. She gritted her teeth, knowing there was only one thing she could do. One thing she hated doing.

She had to let the beast out of its cage.

Without another thought, she braced herself, releasing all the mental blocks she'd built up over the years. Her initial transformation had hurt like hell and it had gotten easier since then, but there was still that searing pain. The same pain that was coursing through her skull right then. She screwed her eyes shut as she swallowed down the cry that attempted to rip from her throat. A burning heat built under her skin and it felt as though she were being jabbed with thousands of needles.

Her head jerked back as she felt the change consume her. Every breath she took in burned her throat and lungs, each movement she made caused her muscles to scream out in pain. Her body changed, allowing the beast that she had forced deep down within her, to fit into it, to take control.

When she opened her eyes again, they were no longer Natsuki's eyes; they were the beast's. Her smooth skin was now covered in a blue-black fur, and her figure had been twisted into that of a large wolf. Her senses were even more heightened now, and she had one thought on her mind – hunting down her prey.

Surging forwards, Natsuki's lupine muscles contracted to propel her into a blinding run. She soon covered the distance between her and her prey. Leaping clearly over Nao's head, she piled into the lead vampire, her teeth finding his neck within an instant. The sickening sound of tearing muscle and sinew filled her ears as her teeth ripped clean through his neck. He might have screamed but she didn't leave him with any means to.

Within seconds she had launched herself onto the next vampire before they had even realised what was upon them. She clamped her jaws down mercilessly on the shocked vampire's face, ending his miserable life quickly. She could feel a cool liquid drip from her fangs but she paid it no heed, instead lifting her head to find her next target.

Her advantage came to end, however, when she felt a thud against her ribcage and a shooting pain across her chest. She howled out as she tumbled across the stone floor. She scrambled to get her footing once more before her attacker reached her again, her claws scratching across the solid surface beneath them. She could sense someone bearing down on her and she growled, hoping to warn him or her off.

Apparently it didn't work, as she had to dodge the incoming kick. She lunged to the side, gaining a fair amount of distance between her and her opponent. She looked over, taking in the form of a lanky male vampire, clad in a chic black suit. She might have thought he was a Searrs agent but his suit was too stylish and expensive for them.

He looked at her with a placid expression but she could see the ire in his eyes. She snarled back at him, baring her teeth menacingly. He didn't appear to have any weapon on him, which was unusual but he seemed quit adept at using his body to cause harm. She couldn't afford to underestimate him. The beast wanted desperately to pounce and she was having problems holding back.

She glanced around quickly, her eyes shifting between her foes. There appeared to be four vampires remaining, including her current opponent and they all eyes her warily. Nao was cowering against one wall and the vampires had apparently forgotten about her. At least her plan had paid off this time.

The group of vampires began to close in on her now, moving as one as they edged forwards. She back up slowly, her piercing gaze shifting from one to the next. Their apparent leader, the suited male, hung back slightly. It seemed as though he was going to let the others do the work.  _Typical vampire._

She tensed as she saw one of the vampires prepare to lunge, his stance giving his intentions away easily. He obviously wasn't an experienced fighter and she decided to take him down first. Before he could make his move, she leapt at him, her movements too fast for him to avoid. She downed him quickly. When she heard his head meet the stone floor with a crack, she decided to move on instead of finishing him. He would be out of the fight for some time, she guessed.

The next vampire was more experienced, and he dodged her first lunge. Retaliating with a swing of his knife, she yelped when blade met muscle, leaving a nasty cut across her shoulder. The fresh scent of blood reached her nose and she howled angrily at him. Not giving him the opportunity to strike again, she sunk her jaws into his mid-drift, causing him to scream out in pain.

Before she could do further damage, she felt a weight come down on her back, causing her to release her current prey. She snarled as she was taken down heavily and another weight added to her. She struggled against the two vampires holding her down but their combined strength overwhelmed her. A blow to her head forced her to quieten her struggling and her senses to cloud.

"Stop!" the voice broke through to her muddied mind and she felt the pressure on her lessen a little as the vampires turned to see whom it belonged.

She recognised that tone instantly.  _Shizuru._ She could feel a tension fill the air then, and suddenly the weight upon her was lifted completely. She quickly scrambled to a more defendable position, her teeth bared once more. The vampires who had previously been attacking her all stood at a fairly safe distance away, their attention torn between Shizuru and herself. Nao was visibly shaking as Shizuru slowly neared the group.

Natsuki gave Shizuru a quick once over, noticing the blood coating her blade. She had obviously had no problems in taking care of the Searrs agents following them. Her eyes were on the suited vampire now and there seemed to be a silent conversation going on between them. That irked her slightly. She didn't like being left out of the loop. She wondered what that exchange of looks meant. Perhaps it was a sign of respect.

"Reito," Shizuru said finally, nodding once to the other vampire.

"Shizuru." He returned the gesture.

It was then that Natsuki realised this suited vampire was yet another elder. She let out a low growl. She'd gone her entire life without having to face one and now two attacked her in one day. Luckily for her, she was still breathing. Perhaps her luck hadn't run out after all.

"There's been enough bloodshed today." Shizuru spoke again but her words surprised Natsuki.

Reito tilted his head to one side slightly, confusion marring his features. "It killed three of my people," he said plainly.

" _She_  is not to be harmed." The finality of that statement was clear to everyone present and Natsuki found herself wondering if the elders of each cadre were considered equal.

Reito paused for a moment before slowly nodding, the uncertainly clear in his movements. He took a step back, motioning for the other vampires to back off further. Natsuki found it surprising that he gave in so easily to Shizuru's demand. There had to be something more to that, but she didn't intend to find out.

She found herself relaxing a little, the exertion from the day's events taking its toll on her. Her muscles were aching and her shoulder had begun to throb. The pain in her head was beginning to irritate her as well. Moreover, the urge to continue the hunt was pulling at her and she wasn't sure how long she'd be able to keep it at bay. She wanted to cage the beast once more but she couldn't do that while she was vulnerable.

"I will explain later," Shizuru said to Reito before turning her attention to Natsuki. "I trust you know the way out, Reito?"

He nodded but she wasn't looking at him, her gaze had locked with the beast's. Something else was pulling at Natsuki now, some instinct she'd never felt before. She felt drawn to the vampire, something at a primal level, but there was no way she was giving into it. She had no idea what it meant and part of her didn't want to know.

"Go on ahead, I will catch up with you," she said again, the authority in her tone unmistakable.

"Shizuru, I do not think—"

"Please, do as I ask." Shizuru's eyes never left Natsuki, even with Reito's objections.

Natsuki watched as Reito and his vampires withdrew silently. She noticed that Reito was keeping a careful eye on Shizuru though, mirroring the focus that Shizuru seemed to have on her. When the group of vampires were far enough away, she lowered herself into a sitting position, the effort of standing becoming painful.

Shizuru walked towards her now, hefting her blade over her shoulder to rest there. When she reached the werewolf, she knelt down, placing her weapon on the ground beside them. Natsuki could see Nao watching them intently, both fear and curiosity in her eyes. She would rather the young werewolf didn't watch this exchange.

The elder reached out tentatively with one hand, pausing just before she touched Natsuki's head. "You're hurt."

Natsuki let out a slight whimper and lowered her head, now feeling embarrassed that she'd be harmed so easily. She stiffened suddenly as she felt Shizuru's cool fingers against her chin, pulling her gaze up to the vampire's face once more. A small smile pulled at her lips.

"Natsuki makes a cute wolf," she said quietly before placing her hand to the top of Natsuki's head, rubbing the fur there lightly.

If she'd been in human form, she was sure she'd be blushing deeply at that moment. There was something incredibly humiliating about getting petted and she felt more like a puppy than a werewolf. Annoyingly, it also felt rather good. She allowed herself to enjoy the strokes for a while before straightening and letting out a low growl.

Shizuru chuckled and withdrew her hand. "Oh I get it, you're a ferocious beast. My mistake." Her mirth faded when her gaze dropped to Natsuki's shoulder. "You really are hurt."

Natsuki shuffled backwards, trying to dismiss the vampire's concerned words. She wanted desperately to be rid of this form. Aside from the fact that she couldn't communicate very well like this, her heightened sense of smell was picking up Shizuru's scent a little too well. She glanced over at Nao who was still watching them.

"I think she's wanting you to leave," Nao said somewhat meekly.

Shizuru glanced at her, annoyance flickering across her face. "Does she now." It wasn't a question.

"Yeah," Nao's voice strengthened as her confidence seemed to rise. "She'll want to change back soon, I guess."

Shizuru regarded Natsuki and stood up, picking up her blade as she did so. "I see."

A part of Natsuki didn't want Shizuru to leave but it would be best for everyone if she did. Perhaps then she could go back to her nice, simple life. Shizuru gave Natsuki one last glance before walking around her and heading in the same direction the other vampires had gone. When she couldn't hear her footsteps anymore, Natsuki relaxed.

She prepared herself for the transformation once more, knowing it was a lot easier on her body to revert back to her human form. It took a lot out of her mentally though. She tensed and closed her eyes, focusing on her humanity as much as she could, willing the beast back into the cage she had released it from. It fought against her briefly before she felt her body change back to its usual form.

She let out a sigh of relief as she opened her eyes. Realising she was sitting there naked, she wrapped her arms around herself quickly. She shot Nao a look and expected some form of comment but the young werewolf was staring in shock behind Natsuki. A chill ran down her spine and she felt her body stiffen. She wasn't sure if it was the trepidation or the weariness that prevented her from turning.

She sensed a presence behind her but before she could look, she felt something slip onto her shoulders. Her muscles tensed but she realised she wasn't under attack. The combined scent of leather and Shizuru filled the air around her as the leather coat was wrapped around her frame. She felt the coolness of Shizuru's skin slide briefly against her cheek as the elder leaned in, her head placed beside hers.

"If I'd known it was this easy to see Natsuki naked, I wouldn't have wasted all that effort toying with you earlier," she whispered into Natsuki's ear, causing her to shiver.

Natsuki swallowed, hard. She turned her head slowly leaning to the side a little so she could look Shizuru in the eye. She couldn't think of a response. She just didn't understand the vampire. What was it she wanted? Did she just enjoy playing with her? Was there something else behind all that? She felt a little sad at the fact that she'd probably never know.

Shizuru pulled back a little and stood, her eyes dulling a little as the smile faded from her face. "This is where we part ways."

Natsuki pushed herself to her feet, slipping her arms into the sleeves of the coat so she could fasten it, hiding her naked body from view. She turned to face Shizuru, her body complaining at the action. She'd need to get that wound on her shoulder attended to soon, before she lost too much blood. She wondered what the scent of blood was doing to Shizuru. It didn't seem to be affecting her at all.

"I have enjoyed our time together," Shizuru began, hoisting her weapon over her shoulder once more. "But all good things must come to an end, as they say."

Natsuki frowned. "Including vampires?"

Shizuru chuckled softly. "We're anything but good, Natsuki."

Natsuki let out a short snort. "Don't I know it."

Shizuru reached out and hooked a finger under the lapel of the leather coat. "I wish you could have…"

She let the words hang in the air and Natsuki wasn't sure how to take them. The elder always seemed to talk in riddles. She wondered if Shizuru ever said what she truly meant. Again, she was reminded that she'd probably never discover the answer to that. Letting her hand drop back to her side, Shizuru turned to leave, not saying another word.

Natsuki watched her for a few moments, the distance between them growing. A heavy feeling was growing in her chest and it was getting worse the further Shizuru got from her. She inwardly cursed herself. Why was she feeling like this? That woman was her enemy. Pure and simple. There could be no other way.

"Wait." The word had slipped past her lips before she'd even thought it.

Shizuru halted, but didn't turn. Acutely aware that Nao was nearby, Natsuki hurried forwards. When she was a few feet from Shizuru, she stopped. "Natsuki?" The way Shizuru said her name, as if saying it any louder would damage it, made her heart skip a beat.

"I…" she trailed off. She didn't even know what she wanted to say; she didn't even know what she felt.

Shizuru turned to face her once more, curiosity in those crimson eyes. That look made the words even more unattainable for Natsuki. "What is it?" she urged.

"I…" she continued to struggle. "We're not even. I have to make it even."

A chestnut eyebrow arched upwards. "Not even?"

"You… you saved me back there. So I owe you one again. I can't have myself being indebted to a vampire for the rest of my life." She felt somewhat pleased with herself that she was able to string that sentence together.

Shizuru shook her head, her hair dancing around her face as she did so. "So what do you suggest?"

That had Natsuki stumped. She hadn't thought her words through at all. "Um… You'll just have to hang around until I've made it up to you?" she answered weakly.

Shizuru stayed silent for a while, seemingly mulling her words over. She let out a quiet sigh before answering. "You know that won't work. I'm the elder of the Kyoto cadre, I am a vampire, and I am your sworn enemy. Consider yourself released from any such debt. We are even." Her words hung in the air, adding to the sensation in Natsuki's chest.

"It doesn't work like that, you can't just release me…" Natsuki's voice quietened as she neared the end of the sentence. She wasn't going to win this argument; she knew that. She was pretty sure she wouldn't be able to win any argument with this woman. And still, she couldn't figure out why she wanted to.

Shizuru stepped closer until they were almost touching. "I wish I didn't have to."

There she was speaking in riddles again. Natsuki wasn't one for cryptic puzzles; she liked things plain and easily digestible. "Why can't you just say what you mean?" she said a little more harshly than she'd intended.

Shizuru seemed taken aback by the straightforwardness of her words. She paused before responding. "I don't think that would be good for either of us, Natsuki." There was a sadness in her tone now.

"Why? Why the hell not!" Natsuki found herself getting angrier by the second.

Shizuru reached up with one hand, her fingertips brushing Natsuki's cheek lightly. Natsuki was torn between flinching away and leaning into the touch. She did neither. "Would it help you if I told you how much I want you to myself? How much I want to taste you; not your blood, but your body. How much I want to show you how special you are, something you plainly cannot see. Does that make things easier for you?" There was a slight tremor in Shizuru's voice as she spoke.

Natsuki's breath caught as she heard those words and she felt her stomach flip. "I… You… I don't understand…"

Shizuru let her fingers trail across Natsuki's skin slowly, dropping to brush across the warm skin of her neck. Natsuki shuddered and closed her eyes momentarily. "I think you do. But… it does not matter. Natsuki will return to her life, and I shall return to mine."

Natsuki's brow furrowed. "Why?"

Shizuru smiled at Natsuki, but it was a sad smile. She stepped backwards, allowing her hand to fall back to her side. "I cannot abandon my cadre and you, dear Natsuki, you will not deny your duty to your pack. And so…"

With that, Shizuru turned and walked away. Her movements were stiffer than usual and Natsuki guessed she was forcing herself to go, forcing herself to keep something inside. She merely watched her go, wanting very much to stop her, but not having the courage to do so.

She brought her hands up to grip her upper arms, a sudden chill gripping her as she watched Shizuru disappear into the darkness. She parted her lips slightly, letting the words slip past them that she wished she'd said moments sooner.

"I would have…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thus ends Halloween Special. Some have said that they wish they'd seen things resolved between the two but I think it's a good ending. Let your imaginations roam wild with the possibilities! That said, I have begun a sequel so I suppose I'll just let my imagination roam wild instead. ;)


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